On Thu, 31 Aug 2006 13:36:53 GMT, Joe Patrick
wrote:

I have just returned from another 6 days in London, my first trip
without being overcharged on my Oystercard since I got it in February,
however the trip wasn't entirely without oddities.

I did a journey West India Quay DLR to Canary Wharf, purely for the
amusement value, I touched in and out at both locations, and I even used
the ticket machine at Canary Wharf DLR which didn't show any unresolved
journeys, so the system certaintly registered it worked. The same
happenned for the person who was accompanying me.

Later on, we touched on the readers at Heron Quays DLR, where it flashed
up "Exit" on the screen - touching again, it still insisted we were
exiting, but we boarded anyway. When we got to Crossharbour we touched
again, it telling us to enter.
After doing what we did in Crossharbour, we returned to the DLR, but
didn't touch in, to get our card "working" again.

Looking on the ticket machine at Canary Wharf LU - it told us our
journeys we -
West India Quay DLR - Canary Wharf DLR
West India Quay DLR - Heron Quays DLR
Crossharbour DLR - Canary Wharf DLR

does anyone know what was going on - was the system trying to be clever,
thinking the time at Canary Wharf was so short we were trying to make an
interchange, and charge it as one journey respectively - or is it
another instance of equipment failure?

I don't know how the system is set up but it sounds to me as if it is
set up to recognise Canary Wharf DLR and Heron Quays DLR as legitimate
interchanges with Canary Wharf LU. In light of the journey and
validations you described it is entirely possible that the Heron Quays
equipment thought you'd be exiting - was "later on" actually within a
short time span from you leaving Canary Wharf?

since technically we didn't make a journey on the system Heron Quays -
Crossharbour, could we have been liable for a fine/penalty fare?

If your Canary Wharf / Heron Quays interchange was within a very space
of time then I'd expect a train captain or RCI to recognise what
happened and not levy a penalty fare. The proximity of stations that are
logical interchanges to the Tube makes it a difficult issue to get right
in all circumstances so discretion should be used in assessing what
someone has done with their Oyster card.

Talking of Penalty Fares, I've noticed the DLR has employed some
Security Cowboys who seem to hang around at Canary Wharf on the
platforms in groups of 6 checking tickets and looking very jobsworthish
I certaintly didn't feel very safe and can't see how threatening looking
security guards talking to their mates on mobiles make people Travel Safe!

I tend to get that reaction with all security guards who are employed to
loiter around railway stations.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!